Steel piston ring



April 28, 1953 H. M. OLSON 2,636,792

STEEL PISTON RING Filed NOV. 27, 1950 Mia L5. Maw.

Z 49- AZ M ww A'r-romvsvs Patented Apr. 28 1953 STEEL PISTON RING Holly M. Olson, ,Muskegon, Mich., assignor to Sealed Power Corporation, Muskegon, Mich., a corporation of Michigan AppiicationNoi/ember 27, 1950', Serial No. 197,793

r Claims.

The present invention relates to piston rings, and more particularly to steel piston rings each ring being made from a length of flat thin metal and having structure such that it can be contracted circumferentially and the diameter re- 5 the wall of a cylinder in which the ring is tobe duced when installed within a cylinder in which used is made. By means of suitable punch and used, such steel piston rings being used in the die operations, a continuous blank of metal of lower or oil grooves of pistons of internal combuspredetermined length is fabricated, as shown in tion engines for conserving lubricating oil which Fig. 1, having two opposed consecutive series of otherwise would pass by the piston upwardly to land segments 1 and 2 which, at their ends, are or toward the combustion chamber, resulting in spaced from each other. Such segments are of the loss thereof and fouling of cylinders from a generally trapezoidal form as shown, and thethe burning or decomposition of the oil under land segments l at one side of the blank are high temperatures. slightly staggered or out of line with the seg- It is an object and purpose of my invention to ments 2 at the other side thereof. provide a particularly novel, practical, readily Such segments are integrallyconnected in pairs manufactured and efiicient piston ring of the type at their inner edges by transverse ties of metal stated in which, when the ring is in use in the from each of which a post or strut 3 is struck cylinder of an internal combustion engine, land integral atone end with each land segment i, the segments of the ring, spaced from each other, other end of the strut being free. Such struts and in large numbers circumferentially are in or posts extend at right angles from the land two series, one spaced from the other around the segments l with which they are connected. The ring, such segments at adjacent ends when the struts or posts 3 are struck or out from the transring is compresesd and contracted, being in close verse ties between the opposite land segments l proximity to each other thereby providing oil and 2 of each pair, providing spaced. members 4 scraping lands bearing against the walls of the and 5 between which is a longitudinal slot 5. cylinder. Such slot is produced by the cutting and turning An understanding of the invention maybe had of the posts 3 at right angles to the plane of the from the followin description, taken in connecblank. In the blank form, as shown in Fig. 1, tion with the accompanying drawing, in which, the parts 5, integrally connected at one end, one Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank, t each land segment I, does not reach to the after the first operation thereon, from which the other land segment 2, but the opposite connect ring of my invention is made. ing part A extends between opposed land segments Fig. 2 is a transverse section, substantially on I and 2 and is widened as at to at the inner end the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1. of the slot t. From the inner end of each of the Fig. 3 is an inner or rear elevation of a fragparts or members 5, a connecting section or tie mentary portion of the ring when the opposed element 1 of a generally S-form extends to the ring lands have been turned to parallel spaced part 4 which connects the next adjacent segrelation with respect to each other, after the merits I and 2, integrally joining therewith besecond operation of forming the ring. tween said segments. The connectors I may be Fig. 4 is a transverse section, substantially on also designated as having the form of a double the plane of line 4--4 of Fig. 3. ogee curve.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan View of the" ring" In Fig. 7, a slightly difierent structure of the structure shown in Fig. 3. blank is shown, the inner end of the slot 6 not Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View from reaching to the open space left in the blank the inner or rear side of the ring after the final when metal is cut away to form the connecting formation step of manufacture has been commembers l, so that the wider portion 4a of the pleted to make the ring in circular form and with transverse connecting member 4 between opposed adjacent ends of the land segments brought closer lands 1 and 2 is integrally connected by a short together, and tie 8 with the adjacent member 5 and also with Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan, similar to Fig. l, the S-shaped connector 1 at the juncture of such of a slightly modified or different form of the parts 5 and 1. blank from which the ring of my invention is Th blank ring form thus produced has the made. lands I and 2 bent to one side of the parts 4 and Like reference characters refer to like parts in 5 between them, providing two series of land segthe different figures of the drawing.

, 2 The ring blanks are made from sheet-metal, preferably steel. From elongated, relatively narrow or ribbon lengths of metal, a ring, in length, slightly greater than the inner circumference of ments and 2 in different planes spaced from each other, with the struts or posts 3 extending from the segments I to the opposite segments 2 as Shown in Fig. 4.

The ring is completed with this operation except for a permanent straining and contraction of the connecting members '1 from the shape shown in Fig. 3 to, that. shown in Fig. .6, shortening them circumfe'ren'tially thereby contracting the ring and bringing the adjacent ends of'the segments l and 2 close together. And of course the connectors 1 are also shaped so that the complete ring takes a circular form. 1

When thus constructed, the exterior diameter of the piston ring at the outenor bearing-edges of the segments l and 2 w'rl'lbesiightly greater than the interior diameter of the cylinder in which the ring is to be used whenthe ringis installed in a cylinder of the proper size to receiye it, it is further contracted circumferentially bringing the adjacent ends of the segments l and 2- closer'together andas close substantially as they can be brought without interfering contact engagement. This provides a tension in the ring due to the circumferentially contracted ring being under strain which when relieved, as when the ring is removed from its cylinder, will result in the ring taking its initial larger circumference from which it is compressed and contracted when installed in a. cylinder. The yielding takes place in the parts 4, 5 and 1 when the ring is circumferentially. compressed andcontracted in a cylinder.

The piston ring produced as described is very readily and easily manufactured in a substantially continuous process. The tension of the ring may be. governed by. increasing or diminishing the width of the parts 4, 5 and 1. Ample strength for the passage of oil collected through the ring to the bottom of a piston ring groove is provided. The opposed land segments l and 2 are held from bending, vibrating or fluttering, each pair of opposed segments l and 2 having a post or strut 3 between them which is located between the inner and outer edges of the segments. The structure is very practical and effective in use and readily and economically manufactured.

The claims define the invention which is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A piston ring of thin fiat metal comprising, two series of generally horizontal land segments located end to end in the same plane, with adjacent ends of successive land segments around the ring in close proximity to each other, a second series of land segments located in the same generally horizontal plane spaced from the first series of segments and parallel thereto, 2. connecting member integral with each of the segments of the first mentioned series extending to and integrally connected with a land segment of the second mentioned series of segments,.a second member connected with each segment of the first mentioned series of segments integral therewith extending toward but terminating short of the opposite connected segment, spaced from the adjacent connecting member, and an integral curved connecting tie connecting the end of said last mentioned member with the connecting member betweenthe nextadjacent pair-of. land segments.

2. A structure as. defined in claim 1, and a strut integral with each segment of the first mentioned series of segments extending therefrom to the opposite segment of the second series, said strut, at. the end thereof connecting it with its segment of the first mentioned series being located between the two members integral with each of said land segments. of, .the first series which extend toward an associated segment of the second series, one thereof beingintegrall connected therewith.

3. Astructure as defined in claim 1, said curved tie members having a generally S-shape and located generally horizontal, and said tie members and the members to which they are integrally connected being yildable to permit circumfer ential contraction of the piston ring to bring adjacent ends of the land segments in each series closer together. a v

4. In a piston ring made from thin flat metal. having two spaced's'eries of separated land segments, said segments in each series being located end to end in the same plane around the ring, and the two series lying substantially parallel to each other, the land segments of said two series providing substantially" opposite successive pairs of segments around the ring, and a connecting member integral with the landlsegments of each pair of segments extending between them, the improvement comprising, a second member integrally connected with each of the land segments of one of said series extending'ther'efrom toward but short of the land segment connected'therewith, and spaced from and parallel to the member which integrally connects the two segments of each pair,"and ties, one integral with the inner end of each of said second members extending therefrom to and integrally connected with the member which integrally connects the next adjacent pair of-land segments, located in the'curved plane of the ring at its inner side and in the same plane with said members, said ties and said second members resiliently yielding upon circumferential compressive force applied to the ring in the direction of the circumference of'the ring, whereby the land segments of both series at adjacent ends thereof are brought into closer proximity upon said compression of the ring.

HOLLY M. OLSON References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Zahodiakin May 27. 1947 

